When a thrombus is discovered to have been generated in a living body lumen, it can be necessary to rapidly remove the thrombus. For example, rapid removal is generally called for upon discovery of deep venous thrombosis, in which a thrombus has been generated in a femoral, popliteal, or other deep-region vein.
In one method of treatment for deep venous thrombosis, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel and a medication, such as a thrombolytic agent, is injected to an embolized region to dissolve the thrombus. However, such a method can lead to undesired side effects such as bleeding.
A method of treatment in which a thrombus is removed by suction via a catheter inserted into a blood vessel has also been proposed. Such a method can avoid the use of a medication or minimize the dosage to a small amount. An example of a catheter which can be used in such a treatment is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-126573.